The $1.5 billion Earth-observing satellite, weighing nearly three tonnes, will monitor the planet’s surface with unmatched precision, using advanced radar to scan land, ice, and water every 12 days. 

Jointly developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, NISAR is the world’s first Earth-observing satellite equipped with dual-frequency radar, L-band and S-band. Using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, it will actively beam radar signals to Earth and analyse the reflections to create high-resolution images. Unlike optical satellites that depend on sunlight and clear skies, NISAR can capture data day or night, and even “see” through cloud cover, smoke, or dense vegetation. 

Image Credit: NDTV